๒lคςк ฬђเtє & ɠгคץ ๒๏๏к 1: є๒๏ภץ
by SwiftintheSky
Summary: Mistpaw, Whitepaw, and Wolfpaw have a lot on their plates. As halfClans, their heritage hangs over them like a dark shadow, and there is an event in their past they are struggling to forget. Love, betrayal, death, war, prophecy, and prejudice... Will they fly or will they fall?
1. Allegiances

**A/N: I am very excited to start this story! It's been floating around in my head for at least three years now. It's changed a lot since I first thought of it, and though I've tried writing it before, I never really had the skills necessary to do so. I think I do now, though, so I'm giving it another shot, and boy, I can't wait to get started! Here are the allegiances.**

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**MapleClan**

**Leader:** Fernstar - Cream-colored she-cat with bright green eyes.

**Deputy:** Blackwhisker - White tom with black tips and amber eyes.  
_Apprentice, Ivypaw_

**Medicine cat:** Mintleaf - Tan-colored she-cat with mint-green eyes.  
_Apprentice, Dawnpaw_

**Warriors:** Rabbitfur - Brown she-cat with yellow eyes; oldest warrior in the Clan.  
_Apprentice, Vinepaw_  
Hawkclaw - Golden-brown tabby tom with amber eyes.  
Driftfeather - Cream she-cat with gray patches and pale blue eyes.  
Breezefur - Black tom with blue eyes.  
Grayclaw - Gray tom with yellow eyes.  
_Apprentice, Smokepaw  
_Sootflight - Gray she-cat with darker gray patches and bright blue eyes.  
Volewhisker - Pale ginger tabby tom with amber eyes.  
Robinwing - White-and-gray tabby tom green eyes.  
Icestorm - White she-cat with ice-blue eyes.  
Birchpelt - Brown tabby tom with amber eyes.  
_Apprentice, Ashpaw  
_Oakstep - Dark ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes.  
Pinefall - Pale brown tabby she-cat with green eyes.

**Apprentices:** Dawnpaw - Pale gray tabby she-cat with yellow eyes; medicine cat apprentice.  
Vinepaw - Dark brown tabby tom with green eyes.  
Ivypaw - Ginger tabby tom with amber eyes.  
Ashpaw - Pale gray she-cat with darker gray flecks and blue eyes.  
Smokepaw - White she-cat with dark gray tips and deep blue eyes.

**Queens:** Leafwind - Tortoiseshell she-cat with amber eyes (mother to Volewhisker's kits: Sparrowkit, Emberkit, and Thrushkit).  
Mouseshadow - Brown she-cat with amber eyes (mother to Breezefur's kits: Beechkit and Squirrelkit).  
Rainsky - Blue-gray she-cat with pale blue eyes (mother to Robinwing's kits: Mistkit, Whitekit, and Wolfkit).

**Kits:** Brackenkit - Mottled golden-brown tom with golden eyes.  
Sparrowkit - Black-and-tan tom with white paws and amber eyes.  
Emberkit - Bright ginger tabby tom with amber eyes.  
Thrushkit - Calico she-cat with amber eyes.  
Mistkit - Silver tabby she-cat with pale blue eyes.  
Whitekit - White tom with green eyes.  
Wolfkit - Dark gray tom with blue eyes.  
Squirrelkit - Dark ginger tabby she-cat with amber eyes.  
Birchkit - Mottled brown she-cat with orange eyes.

**Elders:** Finchsong - Old golden she-cat with orange eyes.  
Greenfern - Old gray she-cat with bright green eyes. Oldest cat in the Clan.

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**SnowClan**

**Leader:** Flightstar - Long-furred diluted tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes.

**Deputy:** Shrewstep - Dark gray tom with black paws and yellow eyes.  
_Apprentice, Rootpaw_

**Medicine cat:** Twigtail - Old brown tom with yellow eyes.

**Warriors:** Stoneheart - Dark gray tom with amber eyes.  
Cragstep - Light gray tom with green eyes.  
Cranefeather - White she-cat with green eyes.  
_Apprentice, Cloudpaw_  
Skyheart - Blue-gray she-cat with a white chest and blue eyes.  
_Apprentice, Berrypaw_  
Pebblefur - Grayish-brown tabby tom with blue eyes.  
Goatfur - Cream-and-brown tom with orange.  
Hollypelt - Black she-cat with bright green eyes.  
_Apprentice, Sprucepaw_  
Bearclaw - Large dark brown tom with amber eyes.  
Badgerfang - Black-and-brown tom with amber eyes.

**Apprentices:** Cloudpaw - Cream-colored tom with yellow eyes.  
Berrypaw - Cream-colored she-cat with bright green eyes.  
Rootpaw - Thin pale brown tom with green eyes.  
Sprucepaw - Dark brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes.

**Queens:** Mossleap - Tortoiseshell she-cat; blue eyes. Mother to Larkkit, Volekit, and Poppykit.  
Swanwing - Long-furred white she-cat; blue eyes. Mother to Sleetkit and Streamkit.  
Redstripe - Ginger-and-white tabby she-cat; green eyes. Expecting kits.

**Kits:** Larkkit - Brown-and-white tabby she-cat with bright green eyes.  
Volekit - Brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.  
Poppykit - Tortoiseshell she-cat with golden eyes.  
Sleetkit - Gray tom with darker gray flecks and dark blue eyes.  
Streamkit - Gray-and-white tabby she-cat with bright blue eyes.

**Elders:** Goosecry - Old cream-and-gray tom with yellow eyes. Oldest cat in the Clan.  
Nighttail - Black tom with yellow eyes.

* * *

**GorseClan**

**Leader: **Duststar - Pale brown tabby tom with yellow eyes.  
_Apprentice, Rabbitpaw_

**Deputy:** Falconstripe - Golden-brown tabby tom with green eyes.  
_Apprentice, Treepaw_

**Medicine cat:** Goldenfur - Solid golden she-cat with matching eyes.

**Warriors:** Flamefur - Bright ginger she-cat, green eyes.  
Scorchfoot - Dark ginger tabby tom, darker paws, amber eyes.  
Windflight - White-and-gold tom with yellow eyes.  
_Apprentice, Sunnypaw  
_Wingfeather - Cream-and-gray she-cat with blue eyes.  
_Apprentice, Galepaw  
_Shadystep - Dark gray she-cat with golden eyes.  
_Apprentice, Grasspaw_  
Yewpelt - Pale brown tabby tom with green eyes.  
_Apprentice, Runningpaw_  
Blackpool - Black she-cat with blue eyes.  
Sandstripe - Very pale brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes.

**Apprentices:** Sunnypaw - Brown she-cat with bright golden eyes.  
Galepaw - Dark brownish-gold tom with amber eyes.  
Rabbitpaw - Brown-and-white she-cat with green eyes.  
Treepaw - Dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes.  
Runningpaw - Ginger tabby tom with green eyes.  
Grasspaw - Tan-colored she-cat with green eyes.

**Queens:** Fallowtail - Pale ginger she-cat with green eyes.  
Grayfeather - Dappled gray she-cat with blue eyes.

**Kits:** Ospreykit - Grayish-brown tabby tom with green eyes.  
Eaglekit - Gray tabby tom with yellow eyes.  
Kestrelkit - Brownish-gray tabby tom with amber eyes.

**Elders:** Yellowtail - Pale gray tom with orange eyes.  
Sheepfur - Cream long-furred she-cat with blue eyes.  
Shorttail - Gray-and-white tom with a stubby tail and amber eyes.

* * *

**A/N: These took. FREAKING. FOREVER.**

**Anyway... as you can see, the main Clan is MapleClan, and the POVs we'll be seeing are Moonsky's kits. Mistkit is up first - she's a real sweetie. :)**

**Also, this shouldn't interfere with the Warriors Games updating regularly...**

**...Well, maybe it will a little bit. ;D  
**

**But I'll try to rein in my excitement on this until that is over xD**

**And no, there isn't a prologue. At least not for now. I mayyy come back and add one in later.**


	2. Chapter 1: Mistkit

**Oh yes, forgot to mention something. This is a rewrite of Behind the Mist, of which I used to have a few chapters up. (I actually got a lot farther than what I'd posted, like to chapter 13). Before that it was known as Beneath the Water (I think that one reached 10 chapters), which was also on here lo those many moons ago. I hope this newest incarnation goes much further than either of those. :)**

* * *

Mistkit stirred in her nest and yawned sleepily. She thought she had felt something in her side. Then it came again, sharper this time. Her eyes flew open and she battered the offender with her paws, before crouching on all fours and glaring groggily. Dark gray fur filled her vision, followed by twinkling blue eyes. "Come on!" he crowed. "Wake up!"

"Nooo," she whined, and buried her nose in her paws.

But the torment didn't end there. His nose rammed into her shoulder - unnecessarily hard, she thought - and pleaded, "Mist-_kiiiit!_ Come onnnn!"

She stared up at him, still keeping her nose between her paws, and scowled. Her young mind scrambled through an excuse and could find only one. "I'm _sick,_" she whimpered plaintively. She rolled onto her side, pawing at her mother's belly. "Mama, I'm sick."

"No you aren't, dear." The mass of bluish-gray fur behind her shifted, and suddenly her mother was blinking down at her in amusement. "Go out and play with your brothers. Go on, I'll watch you." She nudged her smallest kit to her paws. Mistkit knew she truly had no choice now, and she sighed. She followed her brother slowly as he practically pranced out of the nursery. Rainsky followed behind them, seeming as strong and immovable as a mountain.

Cool air washed over Mistkit's fur, and she fluffed out her short pelt against the coolness of an early newleaf morning, glaring in envy at her brothers and mother, who all sported long coats. Her second brother, Whitekit, bounced up to join them. "You got 'ew!" he exclaimed. "Wet's pway!"

Wolfkit grinned, looking as though he were about to wag his tail like a dog. "I'm GowseCwan!" he yowled, and shot forwards immediately, carrying Whitekit off of his paws. The two rolled and scuffled in the dust while Mistkit watched, trying to wake up the rest of the way. By the time they had finished - Wolfkit pinning his brother to the ground triumphantly - she was purring quietly. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Go on," Rainsky whispered behind her. "Play with them." The long-furred she-cat settled down in front of the nursery, watching her kits with fond eyes.

Mistkit didn't reply to her mother's urging, but padded up to her littermates nonetheless. "Can I pway?" she asked.

"Yeah! You can be... SnowCwan. We can _all_ fight!" He seemed proud at this idea, and beamed at Mistkit for approval.

"I don't wanna fight," she disagreed. She was a lot smaller than either of her brothers, and had the feeling that she would be defeated easily. Besides, that was a _tom_ thing, wasn't it? There were much more fun things to do here, she was sure.

Wolfkit looked crestfallen. "But... _why?_" he asked plaintively.

A slow smile spread across Mistkit's face as she glanced around the camp. She had left the nursery only a few times before, and had really only visited the elders in their den. Besides that, she had no idea what was what in her home. The camp seemed to unfurl before her paws, huge and all-encompassing. To the small she-kit, the Scorchtree looked a day's journey away, the dens that lined the walls like yawning caverns. "Wet's _expwowe!_" she proclaimed.

"Expwowe?" Wolfkit tipped his head to one side, looking confused.

But Whitekit was already bouncing on his paws. "Yeah! Yeah! Wet's do _dat!_"

"Hmm?" Rainsky opened one eye. "Wait, kits!" They paused midstep, having been about to throw themselves across the camp in search of new land to claim. "I'll have to come with you. It's not safe for you to go so far by yourselves."

"Awwwww!" Wolfkit groaned, and Whitekit looked disappointed, but Mistkit didn't mind. She would feel safer with her mother behind her, as she always had. Under her mother's watchful gaze, she felt warm and protected, whether or not the wind was biting and cold, and whether or not the warriors across camp were glaring at her.

"Want a tou-ew?" Mistkit practically jumped out of her fur at this loud declaration. She found herself blinking up at a golden-brown tabby. He regarded the young trio with kind green eyes.

Wolfkit blinked up at him. "Naawww, we can do it ouw_sewbes_," he deferred, but Mistkit already found herself saying, "Yeah!"

"Okay." He purred, and she was struck with how large he was. He was at least double her size and more than twice her age; she didn't know him all that well, but he lived in the nursery with them, and his name started with _B_, though she couldn't quite remember what it was.

"Lead the way, Brackenkit," her mother laughed behind them. Oh, so _that_ was his name. Yes, Brackenkit - that was it.

He bounded ahead of them, tail straight up in the air, and stopped at the base of the Scorchtree with the others trailing behind them. To Mistkit's surprise, it was a lot closer than she had thought, but it still loomed above her head, like the Great Trees Rainsky told them about in nursery tales.

"This is the Scowchtwee," he told them. His eyes were big and round, obviously taking his role as tour guide very seriously. He flicked his tail towards the pile at its base. Delicious scent wafted from the heap of mice, squirrels, and birds. Mistkit wished she could have one now. She had tasted prey for the first time about a week ago, and it was great. Just as good as her mommy's milk, maybe even _better_. "This is the fwesh-kill pile," he went on, snapping her out of her reverie. "And under the Scowchtwee is Fewnstaw's den. It was dug out a long, long time ago, by a fox or something."

"We knew dat," Wolfkit said flatly. He was clearly still grumpy that they had to have a _guide_ while exploring the camp.

"We didn't know _aww_ of it," Whitekit pointed out helpfully. He was rewarded with a growl from his brother and a purr from his sister.

Brackenkit continued on, almost as if he hadn't heard them. The group of five soon stopped beside a patch of shady ferns in the corner of camp. Mistkit was about to ask why he'd brought them to a patch of _ferns_ when she noticed the narrow green path leading off into them. Cat-scent and strange, sharp aromas drifted from beyond the tunnel. "This is Mintleaf's den," Brackenkit explained sagely. "Well, and Dawnpaw's. They'we ouw Clan's medicine cats. This is whewe all the sick and huwt cats go."

"I'm nebew gonna hafta go in dewe," Wolfkit exclaimed, puffing out his chest. "I'm gonna be de best wawwiow _ebew_."

"We'll see about that, tiger," Rainsky purred. She gave him a swift lick between the ears, from which he shied away with a glare.

The next stop was the apprentices' den, a rather prickly-looking bush that Mistkit wasn't sure she'd want to sleep in. However, her eyes lit up at the sight of the pair of cats chatting in _front_ of the den. In fact, she was the first one to reach them.

"Ashpaw! Smokepaw!" she yowled happily.

"Hi, Mistkit!" Ashpaw purred. "Hi, Brackenkit."

"Hi!" Brackenkit's tail was straight up in the air as he nearly plowed into the gray she-cat. Mistkit noticed with surprise that they were hardly bigger than the older kit. Well, she supposed it made sense. They had only become apprentices a few days ago, and she missed them already. Well, she missed Ashpaw, anyways; Smokepaw was kind of mean to her, but Ashpaw always had good games and stories for Mistkit and her siblings.

"How's the apprentice life?" Rainsky asked warmly.

"Fine," Smokepaw mumbled, but Ashpaw was much more sociable. "It's great!" she gushed. "Birchpelt is showing me _everything_, and Smokepaw is having a lot of fun, too, she's just too grumpy right now to admit it!"_  
_

Smokepaw stuck her tongue out at her sister, who stuck her tongue right out back. Rainsky rolled her eyes. "Come on," she meowed. "Where to next, tour guide?"

Brackenkit's eyes glowed and he dashed off, seemingly as fast as his little legs could carry him, yowling, "This is the wawwiows' den!" He was nearly halfway across camp, and Mistkit scurried after him, just behind her brothers, Rainsky just behind her. They all scrambled to a stop, nearly plowing into one another, as they reached the den he had spoken of.

It was a bush - the largest bush Mistkit had ever seen, not that she'd seen very many bushes in her short life. It was spreading and low, and smelled powerfully of MapleClan.

"Wow! _Coow!_" Wolfkit cried, and charged right in.

"Wolfkit!" his mother scolded sharply. Mistkit crept to the edge with Whitekit and peered inside, despite Rainsky's warning. It was warm and dim inside. Countless nests were clumped around the center of the bush, and several were occupied. Her eyes widened as she noticed Wolfkit prancing right up to a seemingly endless mass of gray fur. The lump shifted and stood, slowly, glaring straight down at the little kit in front of it. Mistkit's jaw practically dropped. The cat was _huge_ - bigger than her brothers, bigger than Brackenkit, bigger than _Rai__nsky,_ for StarClan's sake! He loomed over them, and fear suddenly swam in Mistkit's chest.

"What do you think you're doing?" he growled at Wolfkit. His voice was the meanest she had ever heard.

"_Eep!_" She turned tail and ran, and by the thundering of pawsteps behind her she could tell her brothers had done the same. They tumbled head-over-paws into the light and skittered halfway across camp before they came to a rolling, shaking, panting stop and peered back the way they had come. Mistkit's heart pounded wildly in her chest. Whitekit's eyes were stretched wider than she'd ever seen them, and Wolfkit looked more scared than she knew he'd ever admit.

The tom had poked his head out of the den now, and Mistkit could barely hear him converse with her mother.

"...so sorry, Grayclaw," Rainsky was saying. "It'll never happen again."

"Oh, it's not that big of a deal," he chuckled. "Kits will be kits. Though I _would_ appreciate you keeping them out of here while I'm napping."

Mistkit glared suspiciously at him. He had been mean before, but now he was being all nice to her mama? That just didn't make sense. After a moment he ducked back into the den and Wolfkit brightened, seeming to have already recovered from his scare. "Wet's keep going!" he declared. "We stiww habe _wayyy_ mowe to expwowe!" He seemed to be about to dash off when a stern voice sounded behind them: "Oh no you _don't_."

It was Rainsky, fixing them with an iron gaze. "I think it's back to the nursery for you three. That was very rude, to disturb Grayclaw's sleep like that."

_"Awww!"_ This time all three of them joined in, even Mistkit. But it seemed they'd barely been out of the nursery at all!

"He's a warrior," she continued to scold them. "He works very hard to give you food and protection. You should respect him, and all the other warriors."

_No, he doesn't,_ Mistkit thought irately. _Mama's the one who gives me food and stuff._ Nevertheless, the image of getting milk from Grayclaw produced a chuckle, one that soon erupted into a full-fledged laugh. Her brothers looked at her strangely, and she explained in a whisper punctuated by giggles, so that by the time the three of them were back in their nest they had collapsed into hysterics. Rainsky pressed them for answers, but there was no way she was going to get an answer out of them.

Finally, Mistkit's wild laughter died down to nothing, leaving her stomach aching. But she didn't mind. It was a good ache. She yawned and snuggled closer into her family, until they all seemed one creature, a cloud of black and white and gray, of long fur and closed eyes and low, rumbling purrs. She wasn't aware of ever having felt so happy.

* * *

**A/N: D'AWWW! I just love these guys. They make for the cutest kits xD**

**Next up will be Wolfkit's POV, I believe. Should be fun. Also, there will be a few chapters like this - mostly setting stuff up - before the real fun begins.**


	3. Chapter 2: Wolfkit

"Fwushkiiiit! I wanna _pwaayyyyy_! Come on Fwushki-hi-hit, wet me pway! Come o-ho-ho-hon..."

"Oh for StarClan's sake! Let him play, Thrushkit! If only to shut him up." These words came from Mouseshadow, a dusky brown queen whose two young kits were barely a week old.

"Okay, fine," Thrushkit huffed. "But I don't like it." She glared at Wolfkit, who instantly quit whining and perked up, tail straight in the air.

"Gweat! Whattawe gonna pway? Whattawe gonna pway?" He pranced around the she-cat's brother, Emberkit, eyes glowing. "Embewkit! Embewkit! Whattawe pwaying?"

Emberkit gave a good-natured chuckle. "Well... we wewn't weally gonna play anything."

"_Whaaat_?" Wolfkit's dark blue eyes went wide. He plopped down on his rump, staring up at the bright ginger tabby. "Weww, what wewe you gonna _do_, then?"

"Ashpaw and Smokepaw wewe gonna teach us stuff," Emberkit explained. "Like, how to hunt n' fight n' stuff."

"Weww, I can weawn too, can't I?" the fluffy gray kit asked stubbonly. "Wight?"

"Yeah, of couwse." Emberkit broke into a grin, giving Wolfkit a playful cuff over the ears. "Who said you couldn't?"

"She did." He jutted out his chin, glaring at Thrushkit. The calico she-cat sniffed and stared at him down her muzzle.

"Well, she's a mouse-bwain." Emberkit rolled his eyes. "I mean, come on, Wolfkit. Haven't you leawned that by now?"

"Yup." Wolfkit jumped to his paws once more, feeling the prickle of impatience like tiny claws in his chest. "Now come on! Awen't we going?"

"Well... that's the thing." Emberkit looked embarrassed once more, and Wolfkit wanted to dig his claws into the ground and yowl to the heavens, **_Are you kidding me?!_** But he didn't. Because he was three moons old now. And kits who were three moons old didn't throw fits, or be rude to people.

"What is?" he asked suspiciously. Maybe this was just a ploy to make it so he couldn't play with them. He knew that Emberkit would never do such a thing to him. Emberkit was the nicest kit he knew, and the strongest, and the funniest, and the coolest. But maybe Emberkit's momma, Leafwind, told him not to play with him. Or maybe Thrushkit was making him. She was so mean! His claws scraped the grass at the thought.

"They'we not back fwom theiw patwol yet, stupid," Thrushkit leered. "We'll have to wait till they awe."

"We could go find them," Wolfkit muttered, but now he was just being stubborn, and he knew it.

Emberkit sighed. "Well... maybe we could play something while we wait..." He glanced at Thrushkit for approval, though, of course, got none. A scowl was plastered on his sister's face. Wolfkit's gaze drifted for the camp entrance as he wondered why Thrushkit hated him so much. She never wanted to play with him, and she called him names. She was just as bad as Greenfern, the elder who refused to tell him stories. Finchsong was nice, though. She liked him...

He was jolted out of his thoughts as a piercing yowl sounded at the camp entrance. Suddenly, a patrol was thundering into camp, chests heaving, eyes weary, pelts ruffled and dull. Scarlet splashed their coats. Wolfkit's fur stood on end as a strange metallic scent met his nose. Ashpaw leaned on Birchpelt, gasping and panting. Smokepaw trembled beside Grayclaw, looking as though she could barely stand.

"Grayclaw! What happened?!" Wolfkit's eyes swung around to rest on his leader. Fernstar stalked powerfully from her den to confront the injured patrol. "Mintleaf? Mintleaf, get over here!"

The grumpy medicine cat soon appeared from her den, looking flustered at having been called in such a rude manner, but her mint-green eyes widened as she saw the state the patrol was in. "Dawnblaze! Get cobwebs and marigold, fast!" she snapped, and practically flew across the clearing to Fernstar's side. Smokepaw crumpled, and Mintleaf held the injured apprentice up, blood - at least Wolfkit thought it was blood, he'd never seen such large amounts of it before - now staining both of their pelts.

"Wolfkit! Get back in the nursery!" The sharp order came from his mother.

"Aww! But why?" he demanded.

"This is nothing a kit should see," she told him sternly.

"I'm not a kit! I'm big now!" He stared up at her pleadingly, fluffing out his long gray fur to make himself look even bigger.

"Oh, there's no harm in it, Rainsky," came a faint voice from the nursery. Mouseshadow! "He won't understand what they're saying, anyway."

"Yes, but that's not what I'm worried abou - " The blue-gray she-cat was interrupted as Wolfkit crowed in victory and hurried to get a better seat. Mouseshadow's approval was enough for him. This was too interesting to pass up, even if Rainsky got him in trouble later! He heard his siblings pound up behind him moments before they joined him. Mistkit's blue eyes were wide as she stared at the hurt cats, Mintleaf and Dawnblaze darting between them like quicksilver.

"We were ambushed on the GorseClan border," Grayclaw explained, scowling as Mintleaf sniffed at his bleeding paw. "Those foxhearts didn't even have a valid reason. They said we've been snooping around their territory, and this was a warning. As if!" He tried to dig his claws into the ground, before hissing in pain as he realized his pulled claw was what was hurting him.

"Ashpaw! Smokepaw!" The distressed wail came from the warrior's den. Wolfkit's head whipped around to see who it was. A gray she-cat, patched with darker gray, streaked across camp and buried her muzzle in their fur in an instant, licking them each in turn. Then she drew herself up and turned her fiery glare on Grayclaw. "How did you let this happen?" she demanded.

Wolfkit recognized her - it was Sootflight. She was Ashpaw and Smokepaw's mother, and maybe Brackenkit's, though he wasn't too sure about that. She had stayed in the nursery while Ashpaw and Smokepaw were still kits, and Brackenkit had slept with them, too. She'd left once they became apprentices, but she still visited Brackenkit practically every day.

"Sootflight, calm down," Mintleaf meowed calmly. "Your daughters will be fine. All they need are some cobwebs and rest. Dawnblaze!"

The medicine cat apprentice looked up questioningly, an expression of worry etched on her face.

"Start treating Ashpaw and Smokepaw. I'm getting Fernstar." The she-cat's words were sharp and clipped, like a fuse about to blow. She bounded across the clearing, and Mistkit trembled at Wolfkit's side.

"Wowfkit," she whispered. "Wowfkit, is Ashpaw gonna die?"

"No, mousebwain," he scoffed. "Mintweaf says she'ww be fine." He was much more interested in the idea of battle than worrying for the injured apprentices. He wanted to hear all about Grayclaw's encounter with those evil GorseClan cats.

His ears lowered, however, as Whitekit gave him a pointed glare. "They'we fine, Mistkit," the white tom meowed. "Dawnbwaze and Mintweaf awe good medicine cats. They'ww do a good job."

"O-Okay..." She still didn't look convinced.

The three of them sat and watched as Dawnblaze began to bind the young apprentices' wounds, a look of sheer determination in her yellow eyes. Shortly later Mintleaf emerged with Fernstar on her heels, who looked shocked and grim as she heard the news. Grayclaw quickly told the tale of what had happened, but to Wolfkit's disappointment, he only really understood half of it and there were no exciting details of what had happened in the fight. Nevertheless, Mistkit's eyes widened beside him and Whitekit's jaw looked set. "Stupid GowseCwan cats," the little white tom muttered. Wolfkit shifted; this was getting boring, and all he wanted to do was ask Grayclaw or Birchpelt for all the juicy details on the fight! His gaze drifted into space, only to be jolted back to reality when a loud yowl pierced his ears.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join beneath the Scorchtree for a Clan meeting!"

Fernstar was standing on a branch of the Scorchtree, looking regal as her long cream fur drifted around her body like a soft cloud. The call was hardly needed; every Clan cat not out on patrol was already watching with rapt attention; kits gathered wide-eyed outside of the nursery, their mothers behind them; warriors standing in the clearing with their fur on end; Greenfern and Finchsong poking their heads out of the elders' den, eyes berry-bright. Wolfkit's pelt tingled. What was Fernstar going to say?

"Cats of MapleClan!" Fernstar's voice rang out strong and true. "We will not stand for this injustice! GorseClan will not attack us without reason and get away with it!"

Several cheers went up to meet her words. Wolfkit jumped to his paws and bellowed, "Yeah! You tell 'em!~" Questioning eyes turned to him, and he shot them glares before settling back down on his haunches.

"We must show GorseClan that we are strong," Fernstar went on once the yowls died down. "And there is no better way to do so than by appointing new apprentices." Her eyes swept through the crowd, and Wolfkit's heart beat quickly as they reached him. However, her gaze passed him over quickly and stopped to rest on another. He turned, paws prickling with jealousy, and was surprised to see the leader looking straight at Brackenkit. The golden tom's leaf-green eyes were round with shock. He padded forward haltingly, tail trembling as it was held straight up in the air.

"Brackenkit," the cream-colored she-cat went on, "you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Brackenpaw. I will be your mentor. I will pass on all I know to you."

Shocked gasps rose from the crowd, and Wolfkit's jaw dropped open. Brackenkit got the _leader_ for his mentor? No fair! Fernstar's eyes glinted, as if daring any cat to challenge her choice. At first no one spoke up. Then Whitekit rocketed to his paws, green eyes gleaming as he yowled at the top of his little voice: "Brackenpaw! Brackenpaw!"

Others began to add their cries to the chant. Wolfkit did, too, standing as he did, and Mistkit's quiet call rang in the air beside him. "Brackenpaw! Brackenpaw! Brackenpaw!"

Fernstar's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. She leaped fluidly from the Scorchtree to land at Brackenpaw's feet. Ashpaw ran over to congratulate him, and so did Sootflight, her blue eyes bright with pride and happiness. Others did as well: Rainsky, Finchsong... But some hung back. Wolfkit spotted Greenfern and Hawkclaw in particular glowering in the direction of the new apprentice. _Grumpy-paws,_ Wolfkit thought, remembering how Greenfern was always mean to him, too.

"Wet's go co-co-congajyoolat Bwackenpaw!" Mistkit squealed. She darted forward without any further discussion, and Whitekit followed. Wolfkit wrinkled his nose. He'd already yowled Brackenpaw's name, hadn't he? He didn't _really_ need to _congajyoolat_ him or whatever the word was. (He didn't know how to pronounce it correctly, but he was pretty sure Mistkit had mutilated it rather awfully.) Besides, Brackenki - _paw_ - was kind of a know-it-all... like Whitekit.

The thrumming of paws made the scruffy grey tom's ears flick. He jumped up as another patrol entered camp. And at the fore was - Robinwing! The white-and-gray tabby tom deposited a jawful of prey on the fresh-kill pile, followed closely by two she-cats - one cream-and-gray and the other a pale brown tabby. Wolfkit didn't know either of them, but he sure knew Robinwing!

"Daddy!" He rocketed forward, burying his face in the slim tom's chest.

Robinwing drew back, blinking a pair of amused green eyes down at his son. "What's been going on in camp, tiger?"

Wolfkit jumped back a pace or two, blue eyes shining. If he were a dog, his tail would be wagging. "Gwaycwaw an' Ashpaw an' some othew guys got attacked by GowseCwan! An' then Emwawdstaw was awesome! An' Bwackenpaw's an app_wentice_ now!"

"GorseClan?!" Robinwing's eyes widened with dismay, and Wolfkit wondered if he'd said something wrong, bright smile faltering. Maybe this situation could still be salvaged...

"Daddy, when _I'm_ an appwentice, you'ww take me in the fowest, wight? And teach me fighting?"

A small laugh escaped his father's lips. "Your mentor will do that. But yes. I'll take you out in the forest. Maybe we can hunt, just the two of us."

Wolfkit's nose wrinkled. Hunting? He'd rather learn to fight! But he decided, for once, to be polite. "Okay, Daddy!"

Robinwing padded forward, bounding up to greet his mate. Wolfkit's gaze drifted to the base of the Scorchtree, where the knot of friends and relatives had dispersed from around Brackenpaw. Now the golden tabby was hurrying after his mentor - the _leader__ - _for his first day of training.

_Some day,_ Wolfkit vowed, _that'll be me._


	4. Chapter 3: Whitekit

**A/N: HOLY CRAP. THIS CHAPTER IS SO LONG. FREAKING 3,000 WORDS. THIS IS POSSIBLY THE LONGEST CHAPTER I HAVE EVER WRITTEN FOR ANY STORY EVERY ON FFN. NO WONDER IT TOOK SO LONG.**

**Anyway, thank you for the review. And actually, the answer to your question is revealed here. :)**

* * *

"Whitekit!"

The tom's ears flicked, and he turned questioning green eyes in the direction of the voice. A cool wind blew over his fur; the sun was setting.

"Beechkit and Squirrelkit want to play with you!"

The tiny moon-old kits tumbled out of the nursery in a burst of tangled paws and high-pitched squealing. They landed at his feet and jumped up, tottering as they grinned brightly up at him. He couldn't help a smile coming over his muzzle as well.

There were two of them, both she-cats. Beechkit was brown like her mother, pelt mottled with darker and lighter splashes. Squirrelkit was a dark ginger tabby with a smile bright as the sun and a tail fluffy as, well, a squirrel's. Both lit up the nursery (except for when they were yowling at night, at which point Whitekit wanted nothing more than to be a couple dozen foxlengths away from them). Their mother, Mouseshadow, was the nicest cat he knew (besides his own mother, of course), and scolded Thrushkit whenever she picked on him and his siblings. He was happy about that, but the dusky brown queen couldn't stop her entirely.

At least Thrushkit'll be out of the nursery in a moon, he thought optimistically. Then his expression dampened. But so will Emberkit and Sparrowkit.

"Mmf!" The squeak of surprise jolted him back to reality. Squirrelkit had plowed straight into his fluffy chest fur. She backed away with a violent shake of her head, peering up at him as if to say, How did you get there?

"Mouse-sha-do," Whitekit asked politely, "can Beechkit and Squiwwewkit go to the ewdews wiff me?"

The small queen paused, doubt flickering over her face. Please say yes! Whitekit pleaded silently.

"Oh, I suppose," she relented. "But be careful. And don't be too wild with - "

"WHITE-KIIIIITTT!"

"Wuah! Oomph! Wowfkit!"

Thus was the sound of Wolfkit barreling into Whitekit once again. The little white tom glared up at his triumphant brother, who happened to be sitting on his chest.

"Wowfkit! I was tawking!" he protested, shoving the black tom away. Wolfkit's eyes gleamed with amusement, tail straight up in the air, as Whitekit sat up and gave his ruffled pelt a shake. Suddenly, a thin wail pierced his ears. Beechkit! The mottled she-kit, sitting back on her haunches, was bawling. Squirrelkit stood nearby, looking bewildered, ears plastered flat against her skull. Whitekit bounded forward to give Beechkit a concerned sniff.

"Oh, Beechkit! Beechkit, it's okay!" Mouseshadow gasped. Her alarmed expression softened as she saw what the matter was. "Oh, you've got a thorn in your paw! Come on, let's go see Mintleaf." She grasped the whimpering kit by the scruff and hurried for the medicine den. Squirrelkit scampered after them, the trip to the elders all but forgotten.

Whitekit stared after them, internally warring over whether to feel sorry Beechkit was hurt or annoyed he couldn't take her to see Finchsong. Well, I could still go...

"Hey, Wowfkit!" The black tom glanced up swiftly. "Wanna go to the ewdews'?"

Wolfkit wrinkled his nose. "I wanted to pway..."

"We'be pwayed ebewy good game awweady," Whitekit disagreed. (Which was true - they'd exhausted pretty much all their ideas over the course of the day.) "It'ww be fun!" He stretched his neck to the breeze and sniffed. "Whewe's Mistkit, anyway? I haben't seen hew in wike ten yeaws!"

Wolfkit seemed resigned to his elder-filled fate and dutifully scanned the camp for his sister. He gave up after about ten seconds, shrugging. "Dunno. She's so bowing." His eyes lit up suddenly. "Oh! Thewe she is."

The little silver tabby was talking to Ashpaw and Brackenpaw near their den. How like her! It was like she was a little grown-up. Whitekit fluffed out his long pelt against the cold. Dusk was falling, the shadows lengthening across camp. The last tinges of red were fading from the sky, the sun an amber glimmer between the trees. He didn't feel like running across camp to fetch her, or yowling for her either. Honestly, he was tired from a long day of play, and wanted nothing more to curl up in a warm nest for a story.

"Let all cats old enough gather before the Scorchtree for a Clan meeting!"

Fernstar's yowl made him blink. Ashpaw and Brackenpaw bade Mistkit farewell, bounding to join the growing knot of cats beneath the Scorchtree. Feeling the presence of another cat behind him, he turned to blink into Rainsky's serene eyes.

"It's full moon tonight," she meowed, wrapping her tail around her sons. Warmth enveloped Whitekit as long fur mingled with his own on all sides. Rainsky's heartbeat, strong and steady, thrummed beneath her pelt. She lifted her muzzle and went on, "Fernstar'll be announcing who'll go to the Gathering."

"Wiww you get to go, Mommy?"

Whitekit jumped; he hadn't even heard Mistkit's approach. The little tabby snuggled in beside him as Rainsky purred, "No, little one. Queens stay home with their kits."

"...will be," Fernstar announced, "myself, Blackwhisker, Mintleaf, Dawnblaze, Sootflight, Birchpelt, Driftfeather, Breezefur, Hawkclaw, Ashpaw, Smokepaw, and Brackenpaw. We'll leave after twilight."

Murmurs filled the crowd, drifting to Whitekit's ears. Wolfkit suddenly squirmed beside him, eyes shining with glee. "Mommy! Mommy! We should stay up untiw they come back!"

Rainsky laughed. "No, Wolfkit, it's far past your bedtime."

He pouted. "But, Mommy! I wanna heaw the news!"

"Siwwy!" Whitekit teased. "You'd be asweep defowe they eben weft!"

"I would not!" he squealed indignantly.

"Would too!"

"Would not!"

"Would too!"

"Wouldnot!" "Wouldtoo!" "Wouldnot!" "Wtoo!" "Wnot!" "Wtoo!" "NOT!" "TOO!"

They panted, breath spent. Wolfkit glared, Whitekit purred, and Rainsky swept them all into the nursery with a roll of her eyes. The moon rose above them as their Clanmates slipped away to the Gathering one-by-one.

* * *

He woke to Mouseshadow and Rainsky murmuring nearby. The air was still; it felt cold and grey beyond his closed eyes, but he was safe and warm in his nest. He was the first to wake up, as usual; both of his siblings were curled up beside him. Gotta stay still, he thought groggily. Wanna hear. Gradually his mind woke up and his ears tuned into their words.

"...heard what happened at the Gathering last night?"

Yes! Just what I wanted to hear.

"Yes, poor mite," Mouseshadow mewed sympathetically. "And I heard it was Dapplefur who suggested it."

"What? Really?!" Rainsky's voice seemed to jump several decibels in volume before continuing in a hushed tone. "I've no idea what'll happen now... I know Fernstar's doing her best to support him, but there are a lot in our Clan who'd be happy to have him gone."

"She was smart to take him as her apprentice," Mouseshadow sighed quietly. "The question is, will it be enough?"

Whitekit jumped up in surprise, suddenly realizing who they were talking about. Brackenpaw! What had happened at the Gathering? Cats in their Clan wanted him gone? Rainsky turned her blue eyes on him questioningly, and his ears flattened in embarrassment. "Bad dream," he blurted, not wanting her to know he'd been eavesdropping.

"Aww," she mewed with sympathy. "What was it about? I'm sorry, Whitekit."

"I-I dunno," he muttered. He stared at his paws, the tips of his ears burning with shame. "I can't wemembew."

"Well, I suppose that's good. It's over now." Rainsky gave him a faint, encouraging smile, but Whitekit could tell she was worried. Whether it was worry for him or for Brackenpaw, he couldn't tell. His head was still spinning with questions. Why don't people like him? Who's Dapplefur? Is she in our Clan? He knew he couldn't ask Rainsky these questions. She'd know what he'd been doing. So who could he ask? Not Brackenpaw, certainly; he was sure the golden tabby wouldn't want to tell him about a horrible experience. So who...?

I know! Finchsong! She knew the answers to all his questions, and was happy to tell the inquisitive little kit anything he wanted to know. Whenever something didn't make sense, it was her he went to; it seemed she knew everything. And she was probably... the third nicest cat he knew (after Rainsky and Mouseshadow, of course - oh, and Robinwing, he'd forgotten Robinwing).

"Mommy," he asked Rainsky sweetly, "can I go out into camp?"

She smiled at him. "I don't know why not. Just don't harass anyone and don't go into other dens without asking and you should be fine."

Whitekit grinned and chirped, "I will, Mommy!" before bouncing out of the nursery. Internally, he rolled his eyes. That was advice she should be giving Wolfkit, not him! His eyes scanned the camp. The sun hovered above the treetops, chasing away the stripes of cloud that surrounded it. It seemed like it was going to be a nice day today, unlike the past week, which were full of yucky rain. He let the sun's wan rays fall warmly on his pelt as he glanced around the clearing. It was as empty as it usually was this time of day, when all the patrols had gone out and none or almost none of them had returned. Though he did spot Leafwind's litter playing near the Scorchtree, as well as Ivypaw and Vinepaw lying next to the fresh-kill pile. Their striped pelts, one ginger and the other dark brown, mingled as they shared a mouse. The two brothers were the oldest apprentices in the Clan, nearly warriors by now. Lucky, he thought enviously. What he would give to be out their training with them!

He gave his pelt a shake. Stay focused, Whitekit! You're going to see Finchsong! Taking a deep breath, he plunged into the elders' den. Although he'd prefer not to, he was prepared to face even Greenfern's acid tongue in his quest for knowledge. To his relief, though, only Finchsong was there, dozing peacefully as light dappled her golden pelt.

"Um... Finchsong?" he asked cautiously, not wanting to wake her up if she was truly asleep. The elder's ear flicked at his call, and she shifted, orange eyes slitting open.

"Oh, hello, Whitekit." She stretched and blinked the sleep from her eyes, regarding him fondly. "Here for another story?"

"Weww... kind ob." He looked down at his paws, shuffling them in embarrassment. "Mowe wike... some questions."

"Why didn't you say so? Come in! What is it now?" she asked cheerfully. Reassured, he bounded forward and settled himself by her side. He could only hope this wasn't one of those questions where the answer was I'll tell you when you're older.

"Weww..." he began, sorting words carefully in his head, "I heawd that somefing bad happened to Bwackenpaw at the Gathewing." His voice rose in volume and intensity, unable to hold back his worry for his friend any longer. "And that some MapweCwan cats want him gone! Who doesn't wike Bwackenpaw, Finchsong? And why?" Anxiety swam in his eyes as he blinked up at the elderly she-cat. She was staring at him as though he'd grown wings, and his heart sank as the distress faded. This is going to be one of those questions, isn't it?

But to his surprise, she only wrapped her striped tail around him, pulling him closer. She looked weary as their eyes connected once more, but resigned, and her face held a softness it hadn't a moment ago. "It's a long story, Whitekit. But I'll tell you if you really want to know."

He nodded vigorously, and her tail-tip flicked up. "On one condition: you won't go around camp yakking about it. Brackenpaw has enough cats talking about him already."

Her eyes pierced his sternly, and he nodded again, solemnly this time. "I pwomise," he mewed, and meant it.

She stared into space for awhile, seeming to contemplate how to begin the story. "Long ago," she began at last, "before your mother was born, there was a warrior named Finchsong." What?! What does that have to do with Brackenpaw? thought Whitekit, but he kept quiet.

"The warrior found a mate and had kits. Their names were Sunkit and Hawkkit. They grew up to be Sunpetal and Hawkclaw, but Sunpetal died." Sadness tinged her voice here, and Whitekit was surprised. Finchsong is Hawkclaw's mother? Then again, they were both golden...

The elder went on: "Hawkclaw was very sad. That's when he met someone at a Gathering. A GorseClan she-cat, very pretty, a tortoiseshell. Her name was Dapplefur." The cat who was mean to Brackenpaw at the Gathering?! He could see where this was going, but he didn't want to believe it. "Hawkclaw and Dapplefur grew to love each other, but they kept it a secret for many moons. Finally, Hawkclaw decided he had to put his Clan first. But on the night he told her so, she told him something... she was expecting his kits." Finchsong's voice fell to a hush. "They stopped seeing one another. Two moons later, Dapplefur gave birth to a single kit, a golden tabby tom. But she would not keep him. She gave him to his father, but he did not want the kit either. At the time, there was only one queen in the nursery to feed him: Sootflight. She took him in and named him Brackenkit, and raised him alongside her daughters, Ashkit and Smokekit. He became like a son to her. But no one has forgotten that the kit is half GorseClan. And I suspect they never will."

"And they shouldn't, seeing as he has no right to have been born!" Whitekit whirled around. Greenfern! "MapleClan as far too many halfClans," she muttered, fixing Whitekit with a hateful glare. Finchsong's tail drew tighter around him, and her face held a strange sadness as it flicked from him to Greenfern.

"So... he's a... halfCwan," he whispered slowly. "But - then what happened at the Gathewing? And why was Dappwefuw mean to him?" he demanded of Finchsong.

But it was Greenfern who replied. "At the Gathering, GorseClan demanded we get rid of him," she growled brusquely. "They're ashamed of him, I bet. Just a reminder they can't control their warriors. And Dapplefur suggested it because she hates him, simple as that."

Whitekit gaped at her. "But she's his mommy! Mommies don't hate theiw kits!"

Greenfern shrugged. "Tell that to Dapplefur."

Finchsong's glare to her denmate was fiercer than any Greenfern could hope to muster. "Thank you for that eloquent answer, Greenfern," she growled sarcastically. "Go on and play, Whitekit. I think you've heard quite enough for today." She nudged him to his paws, and he scampered out of the den before the elders could spring any more horrific tales on him. He ended up stumbling around the clearing, mind whirring with the information he'd learned. Brackenpaw's halfClan. He's Hawkclaw's son. His parents hate him. People want him gone.

Then another thought struck him, so shocking he slumped into a sitting position. So many things were coming together, puzzle pieces clicking in his three-moon-old mind.

Cats glare at Brackenpaw. The way they glare at me and Mistkit and Wolfkit. They hate us like they hate him. He'd never know why Greenfern wouldn't talk to him, why Thrushkit refused to play, why Leafwind acted like he didn't exist, why he'd catch Icestorm eyeing him hatefully. But he remembered. They'd called him that before, once or twice. Not to his face. But he'd heard it, the muttered remark of "halfClan", dripping with scorn. The word made no sense - he'd always assumed it was just another insult, applied to him like "mouse-brain" or "bossy-paws". But Greenfern'd just called him it again.

And he knew what it meant now.

But that's impossible! he insisted. Mommy and Daddy are both MapleClan cats! And they love me.

Then he had another thought, even more horrible than the last. What if... what if... He began to shake. I always thought Sootflight was Brackenpaw's mommy! But she's not! What if Rainsky isn't my real mommy?!

The thought wouldn't leave him alone. It tormented him for the rest of the day, and when Mistkit asked him what was wrong, he snapped at her. After that, his siblings avoided him, and by the time Rainsky called them in for a nap he felt like he was driving himself crazy.

I have to know. I have to know, he thought as Rainsky settled them in their nest. I have to know the truth.

"Are you okay, Whitekit?" she asked him in concern, and that was the last straw. He could no longer hold himself back.

"Awe you ouw weaw mommy?!" he blurted out. His siblings stared at him like he'd asked if Fernstar was secretly a Twoleg, but he didn't care. He had to know, and he couldn't have held it in another second.

"What?!" she cried, voice filled with shock. "Of course I am! Why would you ask that?"

"'Cuz Sootflight's not!" he wailed.

"Ob couwse Sootfwight's not ouw mom, mousebrawin!" Wolfkit scoffed.

"No, no, no! That's not what - what - " Whitekit gasped. "She isn't Bwackenpaw's mommy! 'Cuz his mommy is Dappwefuw! And she hates him! 'Cuz - 'cuz - 'cuz - " He finally ran out of breath and buried his nose in Rainsky's long fur, sobs wracking his small shoulders.

"Whitekit," Rainsky mewed gently, "who told you all this?"

"Fi-Fin-nchsong," he stuttered, trying not to burst into tears again. "A-a-and Gw-eenfewn." A stunned silence enveloped them for a moment, and then Whitekit looked his mother straight in the eye. "Mommy," he mewed, "awe w-we h-ha-halfCwan?"

"Ha-HalfCwan?" Mistkit stammered, obviously still frightened by Whitekit's outburst. "What does that mean?"

"Yeah," Wolfkit added. Even he looked solemn. "Fwushkit cawwed me that today."

Rainsky sighed heavily. "It means," she mewed, "a cat who has parents from two different Clans."

"But that's not wight," Mistkit peeped up, confused. "You and Daddy awe bof fwom MapweCwan."

"No," Rainsky whispered, "we're not. And I'm sorry, kits. I knew that someday you'd learn there was something different about you."

Wolfkit's jaw hung agape. "Not?" he cried. "Not fwom MapweCwan?"

Rainsky shook her head. "No. Before you were born, I lived in SnowClan. But then I met your father. And he was - is - wonderful, and kind..." She took a shuddering breath and forced her gaze back to her kits. "I had to raise you in MapleClan, with him, where you'd be loved."

"SnowCwan..." Whitekit whispered.

"Is that why ebweeone is mean to us?" Mistkit asked, eyes wide and sad.

"Oh, Mistkit," Rainsky murmured. "Not everyone. Not everyone." She wrapped her tail tightly around her kits, drawing them close. "I'll always protect you, little ones," she whispered. "No matter what they say to you, you'll always be loved."


	5. Chapter 4: Mistkit

**A/N: Haaahhaahahah this chapter is soooooo long**

**what was i even thinking**

**it's like freaking 3.7k**

**can't decide if it was worth taking like an extra week or not**

**ps: thank you for the review/favorite gigigue you rock**

* * *

"Thrushpaw! Emberpaw! Sparrowpaw!"

The entire Clan chanted the names, Mistkit and her brothers included. _Wow! I can't believe my daddy is Emberpaw's mentor! _she thought giddily. Sparrowpaw and Thrushpaw, meanwhile, were being trained by Oakstep and Pinefall, respectively. The two were a pair of tabby she-cats who were Birchpelt's siblings. Mistkit was sad to see Emberpaw and Sparrowpaw go, but she wouldn't miss Thrushpaw at all.

_Now we're the oldest kits in the nursery, _she thought, a bit sadly. _ But that does mean we'll be apprentices soon!_

"Wucky!" Wolfkit seethed at her side. "Why do they get to be appwentices defowe us?"

"Cuz they'we owdew, siwwy," Mistkit purred affectionately, beating Whitekit to the punch for once.

"But now the nuwsewy's gonna be bowing," the black-furred kit whined. "Thewe's no one hewe but us an' Beechkit an' Squiwwewkit."

"They can be fun!" Mistkit protested, at the same moment that Whitekit growled playfully, "So you'we cawwing me bowing?"

But Mistkit, despite her gentle teasing, knew how Wolfkit felt. She would miss Leafwind's litter, too - most of them, anyway. Though Emberki - paw's ego had been annoying, he never said they were too young to play, and constantly passed down clumsily performed hunting and fighting moves to them. Sparrowkit was more low-key, a genuinely nice fellow. He joined in on their games, too, and he never ignored Mistkit, even though it was easy to do; she faded into the background most of the time.

Now they were gone, and Mistkit had only her brothers and Mouseshadow's kits for playmates. Like Brackenpaw before them, they'd left their younger friends behind, at least for a few moons.

She frowned. "Weww, what now?"

"I dunno." Wolfkit flopped dramatically on the ground, a scowl twisting his little face. "We should be out with them."

"We should pway a game," Whitekit decided, ignoring his brother, "but not the kind whewe we wun awound an' stuff."

"What othew kind is thewe?" Wolfkit asked suspiciously, but Whitekit silenced him with a glare.

"Yeah," Mistkit agreed slowly. "Wike... wooking at cwouds and saying what shape they awe. Wight?"

Whitekit nodded, seemingly happy at least one of his siblings had gotten it. "Yeah, ow tewwing stowies. Ow... oh, I know. That game Ashpaw taught us!"

Mistkit jumped up, blue eyes shining. "Oh yeah yeah! The Ashpaw game!"

"How do you pway? It was so bowing last time, I fowgot," Wolfkit griped.

Whitekit took a deep breath, his patience obviously waning. "You know. Someone says a wowd, then the next pewson says what the wowd made them think ob, then the next pewson says what that wowd made them think ob. I'ww stawt!"

He glanced around and mewed, "Weaf," before looking expectantly at Wolfkit.

"Weaf," the black kit mumbled grouchily.

"No! Say something ewse!" Whitekit yowled, claws scraping the ground. Mistkit glared at Wolfkit; he was being a mouse-brain.

"Mistkit, you twy," Whitekit ordered with an exaggerated sigh. "Weaf."

"Twee," she mewed. She turned to Wolfkit, hoping he wouldn't continue to be irritating.

"Scowchtwee," he grumbled unwillingly.

Whitekit grinned. "MapweCwan."

"SnowCwan," Mistkit put in.

"Mountain," mewed Wolfkit. His voice had lost a bit of its grumpy tone.

"Wock!"

"Gwaycwaw!" Mistkit declared. Her brothers stared, and she felt her cheeks heat up with embarrassment. "What?!" she demanded.

"Why Gwaycwaw?" Whitekit asked quizzically.

"I'unno, he's wike a wock," Mistkit answered truthfully.

"Whatebew. Youw tuwn, Wowfkit," Whitekit meowed with a roll of his eyes.

"Wawwiow!"

"Appwentice!"

"Medicine cat!"

"Hewbs."

"Catmint."

"Cobwebs."

"Spidew."

"Bug."

"Dwagonfwy."

Wolfkit wrinkled his nose.

"Weww? What did you think ob?" Whitekit demanded.

"I don't wanna say," Wolfkit muttered.

"Aww, c'mon!" Mistkit pleaded. Then her brother joined in, and they started chanting: "C'mon, Wowfkit, c'mon! C'mon, Wowfkit, c'mon!"

"Fiiiine!" he groaned. Then he scowled again and forced out, "...Buttewfwy."

"Chase!" Whitekit announced, with no further comment.

"Pounce!"

"Kiww!" At his siblings' stares, Wolfkit defended himself: "Weww, that's what you do to something aftew you pounce on it!"

Whitekit shrugged and went on, "Bwood."

"Scawy," Mistkit mewed, not exactly comfortable with where this game was going.

Wolfkit made a face again.

"Just say it!" both his siblings yelled at once.

"...Tewwifying," he said at last.

"That's not what you thought ob! You don't eben know what that means!" Whitekit objected hotly.

"Yeah," Mistkit agreed. Her brother was a horrible liar, and besides, it was just like him to never admit to being afraid of anything.

"Do too! Weafwind said it defowe!" Wolfkit yowled.

"But that's not what you thought ob!"

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"Is too!"

And with that, 'the Ashpaw game' met its untimely death as it dissolved into a wild play-fight. Such was the fate of many of their games.

* * *

Mistkit sprawled lazily beside the fresh-kill pile. It was late in the afternoon, almost evening. The light had a golden, magical quality to it, possessing the special charm that a day did in the hour before sunset had begun. Rainsky had gone hunting, saying she was dying to get some alone time and entrusting her kits to Mouseshadow until she returned. The shrew Mistkit had just eaten lay heavily in her stomach, making her drowsy and content, almost as if she were drugged. The warm sunlight dappled her pelt. Wolfkit was resting for once, worn out from trying and failing to sneak out of camp - about three times. (By the third time, both of his siblings had dropped out of the scheme, but he only stopped when Rainsky confined him to the nursery for a couple of hours.)

"Wiww you pway wif me?" Squirrelkit asked plaintively, to no one in particular. "Beechkit is bowing."

"No I'm not," Beechkit protested, shifting sleepily at her mother's side. "Just wazy."

Squirrelkit scowled. "Exactwy."

She sounds just like Wolfkit, Mistkit thought with a snort of amusement. Her gaze drifted to the treetops. I wonder when Sparrowpaw and Emberpaw will be back. The small silver tabby expected a thorough report of their first day of training. She was sure her brothers did, too; the two toms had been their best friends. And Wolfkit - well, he followed Emberpaw around like a lovesick puppy!

Mistkit's ears pricked as pawsteps thrummed through the thorn tunnel. Her eyes swung to the entrance.

As if on cue, Sparrowpaw tumbled into camp. It took Mistkit half a second to realize that something was wrong. His pelt was ripped and ruffled, covered in dust. His fur stood on end, his eyes wide, the scents of blood and fear rolling off of him in waves. He panted for breath like he'd been chased by a pack of wild dogs to the Meadow and back. At last he took in a deep, ragged breath and yowled to the heavens: "GorseClan is attacking!"

Mistkit stared in disbelief. Her Clanmates' yowls of anger, shock, and indignance filled the air.

Fernstar leaped into the center of the clearing and started shouting orders. "Hawkclaw, Blackwhisker, Vinepaw, Ivypaw, Rabbitfur! Go to meet them! Sparrowpaw, get the hunting patrol and bring them here! Finchsong, Greenfern, get in the nursery with the kits; Mouseshadow, Rainsky, defend them - " Her eyes narrowed. "Where is Rainsk - "

A chilling battle yowl split the air. A pale tabby tom, with glittering amber eyes, burst into the camp. GorseClan warriors streamed in after him, blood on their claws and murder in their eyes.

Mistkit's legs were locked. She could not move.

"Attack!"

Fernstar and the tabby tom yowled the word at almost exactly the same time. Both groups of cats leaped forward, flinging themselves at each other, unsheathed claws glinting in the sunlight. One rolled right past her as Blackwhisker kicked it across the clearing. Fear gripped her heart with icy claws.

"Get in the nursery!" Mouseshadow shrieked, breaking the invisible chains that held Mistkit back. She bolted for the nursery, heart hammering in her chest, Whitekit and Wolfkit right behind her. Mouseshadow sprang forward beside them, her own kits dangling from her jaws.

"I don't think so," came a deep growl. A huge gray-and-white tom blocked their path, eyes narrowed with malice. Mistkit was so terrified she could barely manage a squeak. He advanced on them with claws unsheathed as Mouseshadow bristled furiously and Wolfkit crouched down, tail lashing. The tom tensed, preparing to lunge, but a blur of white knocked him to the side.

"Go!" Blackwhisker spat, tussling with the tom across the dusty earth.

Mistkit didn't have to be told twice. She raced into the den and collapsed in her nest, adrenaline jolting through her veins. Wolfkit and Whitekit tumbled into place beside her, Beechkit and Squirrelkit just behind them. She turned, her emotions a balancing act between angry and afraid. A fierce snarl echoed from the nursery entrance; Mouseshadow twisted and turned, and blood spattered the leaves. Outside began a raging, roaring din as cats screeched in pain and fury and fear. The smell of blood filled Mistkit's nose; she flattened her ears and prayed to StarClan that it would all just go away.

Mouseshadow screamed. A black paw knocked her away, and a dark, lithe she-cat glared down at the kits.

Wolfkit jumped up and bared his teeth. "Stay away from us!" he ordered fiercely, though Mistkit could see the tremor in his legs.

The she-cat smirked. "And what are you gonna do if I don't?"

Wolfkit tensed, ears flattened against his skull. Mistkit began to tremble. Whitekit was still as a statue, eyes wide as twin moons.

"Rahh!" The young black kit darted forward and sank his teeth into her paw.

Suddenly, Whitekit darted for the exit. Mistkit was hard on his paws, desperate not to be left behind, trusting her brother blindly. Wolfkit sprang after them. The she-cat whirled, hissing, only for Rabbitfur to tackle her to the ground.

Mistkit raced through the battle. Her heart and paws thumped in tandem. The world mixed into streaks of color, bits of sound, blurs of motion. She couldn't see Whitekit. She couldn't see Wolfkit. Her heart was  
going  
to  
BURST  
_where?_  
danger danger death blood

A rock jutted up to meet her. A stab of pain hit her ankle and the ground fell away as she rolled and tumbled across the earth, slick with  
slick with  
and came to a stop,  
jarred to a stop  
at a cat's  
soft  
paws.

She blinked up desperately. Mint-green eyes came hazily into focus, framed by short tan fur. _Mintleaf!_ She had never before been glad to see the grouchy medicine cat, but now hope flared in her chest at the sight of anything familiar. She got to her paws, took a step forw-

The medicine cat's paw flashed out.

Pain spiked through Mistkit's shoulder and she squealed, falling to the ground in a disheveled heap. She burst into tears as her siblings bolted to her side, voices faint and hazy, eyes wide, blue and green, as she struggled to tell them to get away, run away, but her voice wouldn't work and -

_Mintleaf Mintleaf why doesn't make sense nothing does WHY?_

The tan she-cat took a step, and another. Her claws were unsheathed. The battle raged behind her but here  
there was absolute  
silence.  
She raised her paw. Wolfkit bristled, he shook, whether in fear or anger or both there was no telling. Mistkit cowered, she couldn't move, couldn't move, couldn't mo -

A screech split the air, a screech of pure, undiluted fury. A blur of blue-gray fur carried Mintleaf off of her feet, to the ground where they spat and tussled until finally, the gray cat pinned the medicine cat down, one paw planted firmly on her throat.

Mistkit had never been so happy to see her mother in her entire life.

_**"Why are you attacking my kits, you piece of fox-dung?!"**_ Rainsky snarled.

Mintleaf coughed and squirmed, struggling against her captor. "Those kits should never have been born!"

"But _killing_ them?" the blue-gray she-cat spat furiously. "Mintleaf, you're a traitor!"

"Maybe so," the medicine cat sneered, "but no more than you are, eh?"

"Mommy's not a twaitow!" Wolfkit protested, voice trembling but angry all the same.

"Shut up, bra - " Mintleaf's growl broke into a guttural choke as Rainsky pressed harder on her throat, unsheating her claws slowly until beads of blood specked the medicine cat's fur.

"Doesn't matter," Mintleaf choked out, mint-green eyes glittering wildly. "Doesn't matter what you think. We'll get rid of you, your brats, and Brackenpaw in one strike, and no one will ever know."

"**We?** Who's _'we'_?! Are you working with GorseCl - " Rainsky was interrupted as the medicine cat surged upwards. Mintleaf's kick hit her square in the gut, and she rolled across the ground, hard. Mintleaf coughed and hacked, then whirled on the kits, green eyes ablaze. She lunged, paws outstretched, seeking Whitekit's throat.

_**"NO!"**_ Rainsky barreled into her in midair, teeth sinking into her shoulder. Mintleaf yowled, kicking Rainsky away before they landed, spinning out in the dust, claws scrambling to gain a hold. They got to their feet and circled one another, tails lashing, teeth bared in savage snarls. Tension hung in the air, a tangible thing.

_"Mommy,"_ Mistkit whimpered.

They lunged, they slashed, they leaped away and circled again. Precise. Warriorlike. Mintleaf darted forward again, paw lashing out, and Rainsky barely ducked. She whirled, teeth bared, but the medicine cat was too fast, leaping onto the larger she-cat and clawing. Rainsky reared up with a yowl of pain, trying and failing to shake her off. Finally Mintleaf leapt away. Blood ran down Rainsky's sides in tiny red streams. Whitekit pressed closer to Mistkit, and Wolfkit's claws dug into the ground.

Mintleaf tried once more, a final dash at the kits. But nothing would stop Rainsky. The blue-gray queen darted into her path, slashed her shoulder, her cheek, her chest, Mintleaf dodging and ducking and spitting, trying to bite but failing, Rainsky's anger filling the camp and blotting out the sun as she slashed again, one more time, and ripped open the medicine cat's throat.

Mintleaf's eyes widened, jaws parted in a soundless scream, and she collapsed.

Rainsky stepped away, panting, blood soaking into her long fur, eyes blazing with the light of battle. Then it went out, and her entire demeanor changed. She whirled, charged for her kits, wrapped her body around them, nuzzling Whitekit, nosing Wolfkit, and licking the top of Mistkit's head, again and again.

Mistkit started to breathe again. She hadn't realized until now she hadn't been breathing. Air rushed in and out much too quickly. Much too quickly. All she could see was Mintleaf, attacking, Rainsky, attacking, everyone attacking and Mintleaf, she, she tried to kill her, it didn't make sense.

"Doesn't... matter..." the medicine cat rasped. Rainsky's head snapped around. Mistkit couldn't see, but she wasn't sure she wanted to.

"Doesn't... matter..." she repeated, strength rapidly failing. "We-e'll... win... y-ou think the C-lan wi-ill forgi-ive you? We-e have... al-ready... won..."

Her voice faded into nothing. Mistkit buried her face in Rainsky's fur and took in gasps.

"There there..." Rainsky whispered gently, but even her voice shook. "There there, little ones, you're safe, you'll be okay..."

_"RETREAT!"_

It was a male voice, a GorseClan voice, a tabbybrowntom voice, and Mistkit's mind wasn't making any sense so she just burrowed deeper into Rainsky's fur and wished she would never have to come out. The thundering of paws reached her ears anyway, and as she peeked carefully over Moonsky's leg, she saw fleeing tails out the thorn tunnel, BlackwhiskerVinepawRabbitfur leaping forward yowling _and don't come back!_

Emeraldstar leaped onto a branch of the Scorchtree, sharp green eyes roving over the camp. "Is everyone okay?" she demanded. "Who has the worst injuries?"

Finchsong limped forward from the elders' den. "I can't find Brackenpaw anywhere," she mewed worriedly.

"Sootflight is dead," Grayclaw rasped. His yellow eyes seemed blank as he raised them to meet Fernstar's.

The leader's eyes widened, but she quickly fought the emotion down. "Mintleaf? _Mintleaf!_" she called. Her eyes roved over camp, finally landing on the medicine cat's still body... and on Rainsky, a tail-length behind her with blood on her claws.

An eerie wail rose up from the assembled cats. Leafwind jumped to her paws, yowling, "Rainsky killed Mintleaf! Rainsky killed my sister!"

Fernstar's voice was low and level and dangerous. "Rainsky," she meowed, "is this true?"

The blue-gray queen met her leader's eyes with only a slight flinch. "Yes," she mewed.

The cream leader fought to maintain control. "Explain yourself," she hissed.

"How can she explain murder?!" Leafwind yowled. Fernstar silenced her with a sharp glare.

"Mintleaf attacked me," Rainsky began heavily. Indignant exclamations filled the air, but the long-furred queen wasn't finished. "She tried to kill my kits, and I defended them. I did the only thing I could to protect them."

"Mintleaf would never have done that," Blackwhisker rumbled. "She was a loyal medicine cat."

"She told me she was working with someone," Rainsky shot back. "Someone who aimed to get rid of me, Brackenpaw, and my kits. Well, the attempt on us failed, but Brackenpaw's missing, isn't he?"

The crowd shifted uncomfortably, until suddenly Leafwind cried out: "But you didn't know that until Finchsong told you, a second ago! You filthy liar! My sister was _not_ a traitor! You think if you make up some lousy details you'll convince us?!"

"Leafwind!" Fernstar meowed sharply. "Calm down. We may be jumping to conclusions. Though the evidence certainly isn't in your favor, Rainsky," she added with a growl.

"It was the only thing I could have done," Rainsky insisted softly.

"Where were you before the battle?" Blackwhisker demanded suddenly. "Fernstar called your name, and you weren't in camp. Where were you?"

Rainsky looked surprised, and the fear in her eyes scared Mistkit. She whimpered, unable to believe what was happening. How could anyone think her mother was a murderer?

The former SnowClan cat finally replied, "I was hunting. On my own. I - the kits had been restless, and - I-I needed some time alone."

"It's true," Mouseshadow put in. "She asked me to watch the kits and left to hunt. And I know Rainsky - she'd never murder a cat in cold blood," she added.

"You'd side with this SnowClan witch over your own medicine cat?!" Leafwind snarled, but Mouseshadow only met her gaze levelly.

"But you weren't with her?" Blackwhisker interrupted. Mouseshadow shook her head regretfully, knowing the implications of the statement. He raised his gaze and cast it across the crowd. "Did _anyone_ see her?"

Those that sided with the long-haired queen shifted uncomfortably. Leafwind's eyes glittered in triumph.

Greenfern spoke up, gray fur bristling. "I'll bet _she's_ the traitor! Accusing Mintleaf, it's the perfect way to take suspicion off herself! I'll bet _she_ was working with GorseClan. I'll bet she knew about the battle, and once it started, she slipped back into camp and killed our medicine cat. Trying to weaken us. We all know GorseClan has had their eye on our territory for moons!"

Murmurs of agreement rose from the crowd. Mistkit fought down panic. They were wrong! All of them were wrong!

"But then why are her kits with her?" another cat spoke up - Ivypaw, a ginger tabby. "That doesn't make any sense. Weren't they supposed to be in the nursery?"

"They're part of her alibi! Simple as that," Leafwind sniffed.

"But that'd be too much trouble," Driftfeather pointed out. "No one saw her in the battle, did they? How could she have sneaked through, stolen her kits, taken them across camp, and killed Mintleaf, all without being seen?"

"That's not what happened!" Wolfkit yowled suddenly. He glared from over his mother's side, tail puffed out and lashing furiously, claws unsheathed, eyes tiny blue slits. "Some jewk fwom GowseCwan attacked Mouseshadow, an' then I bit 'er, an' then we aww wan obew hewe, an' then Mintweaf attacked us, an' then Mommy sabed us, an' then the battwe was obew!"

"You see?" Driftfeather persisted. Her blue eyes locked challengingly onto Leafwind's, then Fernstar's. "How could her kits tell the exact same lie she does?"

Leafwind lashed her tail dismissively. "They want to defend their mother. What kit wouldn't? Or she arranged the lie beforehand, and they knew exactly what to say."

"But who'd trust a kit with such a secret?" Finchsong croaked. "They could have easily ruined everything."

"Then it's the first of the two! I don't care! We have the plain facts right in front of us! _Rainsky killed Mintleaf!_" the tortoiseshell screamed.

"What Wolfkit says is true," Mouseshadow interrupted. "I was attacked by a GorseClan she-cat and thrown to the side. Wolfkit bit her and the three kits ran into the camp. Rabbitfur tackled the she-cat, and by then I had regained my strength, but the kits were nowhere to be seen. In fact, I was dreadfully worried about them."

Rabbitfur nodded slowly, eyes narrowed with remembrance.

"Fine," Leafwind spat, becoming increasingly agitated. "They were supposed to meet up with her. Or she conspired with the GorseClan cat to put the plan into motion. _IT DOESN'T MATTER! OUR MEDICINE CAT IS DEAD - BECAUSE OF HER!"_

Fernstar sighed heavily. "Leafwind is right. Rainsky killed Mintleaf. There's no saying otherwise. Rainsky left the camp and wasn't seen again until now; certainly time to meet up with the enemy. The only cats with any evidence to support her wild claims are her own kits. I would prefer not to have to do this, especially since we have already lost two - possibly three - members of our Clan today. But all the evidence points towards one conclusion. And there is only one punishment for murder of a Clanmate."

Fernstar lifted her chin, "Rainsky." Her eyes glinted with a steel resolve, and her voice, regretful a moment ago, was firm.

"You are hereby exiled from MapleClan."

Mistkit's heart stopped beating.

She didn't remember a lot of what happened afterwards. She remembered Rainsky standing, as if in a trance, remembered the loss of warmth at her side, like the sun had gone out, remembered her mother's nuzzle, her whisper, her words - "I love you, little ones," - remembered her longlongslow walk out, remembered racing running falling screaming. And the words, they echoed through her mind again and again:

_You are hereby exiled from MapleClan_

_ Exiled from MapleClan_

_ Exiled from MapleClan_

_ Exiled_

_ Exiled_

_**Exiled.**_


End file.
